The Blade and Her Shadow
by Noisiboi
Summary: Talon, her protector, her adopted brother, and her loyal shadow. Katarina, his Lady, his adoptive sister, and his sinister blade. But beneath all the titles and formalities, what truly ties the Blade and Her Shadow together so intimately? {25 Drabbles of Varying Lengths; First In a Series of League Romance Drabbles!}
1. Cat and Mouse

**{A/N}: Hello there, reader! My name's Noisiboi and this is my first League of Legends story as well as the first in a series of stories I plan to write.**

 **As you more than likely read in the summary, this is collection of story drabbles or one-shots that loosely connect to each other in a kind of informal story arc; this one in particular is focused around the pairing Talon x Katarina!**

 **So before I start rambling, I'll end my author's note here and let you get to reading the content you actually came for.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-Nb**

* * *

 _..._

 _The Blade and Her Shadow_

 _..._

* * *

 _I: Cat and Mouse_

The alert, careful gaze of Katarina's protector and adopted brother was zoned in on her from afar in the middle of the dense, Noxian woods, his hunched, cloaked form gracefully perched atop a single branch just high enough that he could watch his lady close enough without being seen.

Katarina was independent, skilled, and most of all headstrong. She would never approve of her beloved sibling watching over her when she needed to get away and be alone for a while during these routine morning walks she would treat herself to.

He understood however.

Katarina was honor-bound to her country as a lady of nobility and as the eldest daughter of House du Couteau, a House of great prestige due to the infamous skill her late father, arguably the greatest swordsman in all of Noxus. In all of Valoran, one might even say.

One like Talon might say. Katarina's secret, young protector grew up knowing only how to fight to survive. Assassins from across the continent would come to "humbly" request him to join their league.

And every time he declined, the humble requests turned into attempts on his life for rejecting their offers.

Every assassination attempt, every death threat was met with relentless ferocity. The heads of his many assailants would serve as proof even today of Talon's fierce resolve.

Katarina's father was the only one to ever defeat him in combat, and with ease at that. Talon was in awe of the du Couteau's mastery and was more than willing to die at the hands of such a skilled swordsman.

But his lady's father had different plans in mind for Talon.

Taking Talon under his wing, he raised him as his own son with his two daughters, the renowned Katarina and Cassiopeia. Even in their youth, the two girls were as fierce as they were beautiful.

From the day their father took Talon into his home, raised him among his own flesh and blood, and gave him a family that he never pictured himself having before, Talon was a changed man.

The bold resolve that Talon already had within him was increased tenfold, his perseverance heightened beyond that of any normal orphan boy.

And when Katarina's only father, when Talon's only father, disappeared, it changed the mentality of everyone in House du Couteau. Cassiopeia became more vicious, Katarina less sociable, and Talon more protective of Katarina than ever before.

With Katarina having all the expectations of House du Couteau thrust upon her shoulders, Talon knew that whatever, or whomever, had taken away their father was just as much of a threat to Katarina as the new leader and representative of their great House.

Talon let the only father he ever knew slip through his fingers, potentially never to see him again. He would not lose the same fate afflict his Lady Katarina.

Once he set his mind to something now, there was nothing that was going to stop him…

… Except perhaps the one red-haired girl he was determined to watch over at all hours of the day.

The one red-haired girl that was now staring at him from where she stood in the clearing of a vast forest, fully aware of Talon watching her from his perch.

With a playful grin and a wave of her pale fingers, she called out to him, "Good morning, Talon."

Talon's carefully hidden eyes went wide beneath his hood and his cheeks glowed with embarrassment as he quickly hid himself behind the trunk of his chosen perch tree.

" _How did she notice me?!"_ He thought silently to himself, blushing like a giddy, young child.

The redness in his cheeks didn't fade when he realized his heart was pounding out of his chest at knowing he'd been caught by Katarina. And to add insult to injury, she smiled at him as if she'd known he was there all along.

It was like this was all some game of cat and mouse to her. Almost as if she was enjoying it.

"How long had she known I was here?" Talon asked beneath his breath before peeking out from behind the tree to see what Katarina was doing now.

She was gone, the clearing in the woods now void of any life aside from bushes and grass.

Talon's eyes narrowed suspiciously before he found a surprisingly strong hand slam against his chest, pinning him back roughly against the tree trunk as Katarina revealed herself in front of him, one hand on Talon's chest and the other holding a dagger tauntingly against his throat.

He looked down at the dagger swiftly before his gaze found its way up to meet her own.

Their eyes locked with one another, Talon's dark blue orbs clashing with a sea of green in Katarina's irises, devious intentions setting her eyes ablaze with passion.

A sly simper found its way across Katarina's lips and Talon gulped quietly at the frustration of not knowing what was going through her pretty little head.

"How long have you been watching me like this, Talon?" Katarina finally asked, a sickeningly sweet tone in her voice.

Talon tilted his chin up away from the blade she held at his throat, "Um… Overall or just today?"

" _Stupid answer, Talon, stupid!_ " He chastised himself inwardly.

Katarina's mischievous eyes widened at his response, "Oh, so this has been a regular thing that you've been doing lately?" She asked, her sweet tone switching rapidly to a spiteful one.

Talon's face turned white as a ghost, but he couldn't take his gaze off of her lest she slit his throat for daring to interrupt the privacy of her morning walks, "It's a possibility."

His voice came out in a quiet stammer.

Katarina let her playful grin from earlier slip across her lips as she suddenly lowered the dagger and slid ever closer to him, "You know, little brother, it's dangerous to follow a cat in the woods alone."

Talon's blush quickly returned and he looked down at finding the distance between them closing rapidly, "This isn't my first time doing so. I'm aware of the risks…" he trailed off.

Katarina squinted a little before suddenly taking her hand off his chest and letting it slide up so she could wrap her arms around his neck loosely, "Yeah," she started.

"Let's talk about why you've been following me around so often."

Her warm breath caressed his lips and his cheeks flushed fiercely now at the temptation that overwhelmed him because of it.

It would seem that the tables had all but turned on their once innocent game of cat and mouse in the woods.

* * *

 **{A/N}: So how do you think their conversation went afterwards? *wink***

 **As I stated earlier, this is the first in a series of drabbles I have plans to write. I will post the next chapter of this Talon x Katarina story as soon as I can!**

 **But in the meantime, what other pairings do you hope to see me write? Did you like the Talon x Kat fluff?**

 **Let me know, I love any feedback!**

 **Thanks for reading, guys and gals.**

 **-Nb**


	2. Who We Are

**{A/N} Hello, readers, I'm back with another Talon x Katarina drabble.**

 **Before we begin this one, I'd just like to give a special thanks to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed. You all keep my inspiration and passion for the story fueled and every little bit counts!**

 **So, without further ado, here comes Drabble No. 2!**

 **-Nb**

* * *

 _II: Who We Are_

Katarina let out a fierce cry as her twin Noxian blades crashed against mighty Demacian steel, the clash of metal echoing out sharp, screeching sounds across the room and causing sparks to fly wildly in every direction.

Silence fell before the only sound to come after was Katarina's body collapsing to the ground in exhaustion as the Demacian knight Garen came upon her, sword held firm in his grasp.

"I do this for Demacia," Garen barked out huskily, wiping blood off the fresh gash on his cheek with his gloved hand.

"You do this because you don't want to fight your true feelings anymore, Garen," Katarina replied with a forced chuckle, "Just be done with it already."

Garen didn't respond, either out of defiance or silent agreement with her words. Katarina didn't know, nor did she care anymore. Their fling behind-the-scenes was too short-lived to care, their touches more out of violence than out of care.

She had given up on her own fairy tale love story a long time ago. She found out a long time ago that her knight in shining armor was actually her killer coming to slay another villain.

And in this fairy tale love story, Katarina was the villain.

Garen lifted his sword high above his head, poised to strike and Katarina merely bowed her head in wait of her inevitable, impending demise.

"I live for Noxus," she muttered in a numb monotone, "I die for Noxus."

The Demacian blade was brought down onto her with a loud yell escaping Garen's throat.

"My Lady!"

Katarina's eyes widened in shock at the familiar voice calling out for her and she looked up just in time to find a long, curved dagger slamming into Garen's blade, the impact making the sword bounce back so the hooded assailant could spin around and slash through the Demacian knight's gut with a long, wrist-mounted blade.

Blood splattered Katarina's face and her eardrums started to pound from the adrenaline rush that filled all three bodies in the room.

"Talon?!" Katarina screamed.

Her cloaked protector looked back at her with wide eyes as he tried to get out of Garen's range to avoid what would most certainly be a counter attack on the way, but at getting distracted by his own concern for his injured Lady, he lost his footing and stumbled directly into the Demacian steel that he lunged to save Katarina from mere seconds ago.

The sword pierced through Talon's abdomen like a knife through warm butter, flesh being easily penetrated as Garen used the last of his strength to push the blade inside the hooded assassin deep.

Katarina watched every inch of the blade sink into the only man left in the world that she could depend on and tears rushed to the corners of her green eyes as she cried out loudly, "You goddamn idiot!"

Talon coughed hard, drops of blood spurting out from between his lips as he fell back and took the blade with him, falling to the floor and keeping the sword inside of him in one last desperate effort to keep himself from bleeding out before his eyes shut weakly and he went limp on the cold, dark floor.

Katarina let out one last scream of anguish before she lunged at Garen with both her blades spinning wildly.

Without a proper sword to parry her, Garen fell victim to her rampant slashes, barely managing to lunge away as the scarlet-haired Lady left dozens of gashes and open wounds all over Garen's body as he made his escape from the dark cavern in which they fought.

Another dull silence fell over the room as Katarina panted heavily from the lingering adrenaline rush before finally feeling confident that Garen had escaped.

Or with hope, was on the ground somewhere outside bleeding out.

At just that thought alone, Katarina quickly spun around and rushed over to collapse next to Talon's unconscious form, lifting his head up as the tears that pooled in her eyes finally started to spill down her pale cheeks.

"Don't you die on me! Don't you die yet!"

Talon didn't reply, still limp in her arms as she pulled him forcefully up onto her lap to lay there on her.

"Don't die," she whispered with a pained shudder, "I need you."

Her beloved adopted brother suddenly let out a pained cough as he came to and looked up at her, "I'm not going to die, Katarina. I'm not ready."

Katarina gasped in surprise and covered her mouth as he awoke, "Talon! Thank goodness…" She wrapped her arms tightly around his entire head and pulled his face close against her chest in a protective manner.

Talon smiled weakly, "I can't die yet. I've still got my whole life left to give for you." He pulled the sword out all of a sudden, tearing his shirt open slightly to reveal he had been wearing reinforced mail beneath his usual armor.

Blood leaked from the sword that penetrated his skin but it didn't look deep enough to kill him.

"That's why I wore this when I came to save you," he let out a small chuckle before falling into a fit of small coughs, "I merely feigned unconsciousness so you could finish him off… You always have been so independent."

Katarina shut her eyes and let tears roll down her cheeks as she cried for the first time in years, "You're such an idiot."

"I know."

Talon sat up very slowly and repositioned himself to hug her instead, pulling her head close against his chest so she could sob quietly against him.

"Why do I always fall for assholes, Talon? I almost lost you over my foolish heart this time," she cried into his chest.

Talon stared down at her with a tender gaze and shut his eyes, pressing his lips against the top of her head as he whispered into her red locks, "The same reason why I'll never leave your side."

Katarina sniffled quietly and looked up at him as he spoke, her green eyes sparkling up at him as their gazes met once again.

"It's just who we are."

…

* * *

 **{A/N} Need a tissue after that one, huh? Sorry, I'm all out.**

 **I am currently in the process of drafting out ideas for other League couples to write drabbles about and will definitely get more out soon to expand on this fluffy side of League of Legends that I'm writing for you all!**

 **But for now, what did you think? Do you feel mad after reading that? Sad? Adoration? Let me know!**

 **I'd like to close with a quick response to some of my reviewers.**

 ** _Marie_ : Thank you for the pairing suggestion! Akali x Zed is a couple I like and is actually one I'm considering for one of my next drabbles.**

 ** _flickering firelight_ : You're the best for being my proofreader and my reviewer. Love you!**

 **Thanks for reading, I'll see you all next drabble!**

 **-Nb**


	3. Whispers In The Dark

**{A/N}: Hello again, my loyal readers!**

 **I apologize for the longer wait this one had but with the most recent holiday and juggling a busy college life, sometimes I get a little preoccupied. But I have not abandoned these one-shots and am back with some more content for you!**

 **So, I'll let you get straight into it, and rest assured I will be quicker with my next update.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-Nb**

* * *

III: Whispers In The Dark

Katarina let out a terrible, blood-curdling scream, her eyes shut tight and her hands tugging at her hair so violently.

"Milady!" Talon shouted out loud, tugging on the redhead's arm to try to snap her out of it, "Milady, you need to wake up now!" He yelled out once more.

With a jolt, Katarina's eyes instantly opened from her deep, nightmarish sleep and she spun around in her sleep to throw her balled up fist out in confusion and fear. The fist collided with Talon's jaw and he fell off the bed onto the floor.

Katarina panted breathlessly and her eyes widened in shock, "Talon?!"

She crawled over to the edge of the bed to find the young, dark-haired male laying flat on his back with a pained groan.

Katarina frowned and tilted her head, causing locks of her red hair to drape over her shoulder as she stuttered out, "Are... Are you alright?"

The Noxian princess couldn't help but wince at her voice coming out so shakily.

Talon pushed himself up off the floor and crawled right back onto the bed with her, "Yes. You know I've been struck harder than that before."

A frown crossed her lips, "Let me see it. Did... Did I leave a bruise?" She pressed the tips of her pale fingers against his chin to try to tilt his head and see where she struck him, but her hand was brushed aside.

"Don't worry about me," he retorted, "Are you alright? You had another one, didn't you?"

Katarina scooted over to the middle of her king-sized, scarlet-colored bed so Talon had room to sit next to her. She curled up into a ball, bringing her knees up to her chest and looking away from him with a scowl, "Another what?"

Talon turned toward her on the bed, shifting his position around so he could sit criss-cross while they talked, "Another night terror."

"I don't get night terrors.

"You do realize who you're talking to, don't you?" He asked.

Katarina fell silent, stubborn and unwilling to show weakness even amidst the shakiness she still felt from the night terror she experienced.

"... It was about your father again, wasn't it?"

Katarina didn't respond, merely pressing her face between her knees in remorseful admittance.

Talon didn't say another word and merely scooted behind her on the bed to wrap his arms around her waist, his strong arms running their way around the silk fabric of her silver-colored robe before pulling her back against his chest.

Her green eyes went wide once again and she looked up at him from where her head was resting against his chest, "What are you doing?"

"Do you not remember that I too once suffered from night terrors? About my best friend I had to cut down and murder in cold blood?"

Katarina was starting to relax against him slowly and she nodded a little, "I remember... None of the guards or servants would tend to you when they heard you scream, so I was always the one who took initiative and came to soothe your cries."

Talon listened intently as he let her recall the memories.

Her eyes trailed down to her bony, pale knees again, "You were so short back then," she chuckled.

Talon's cheeks flushed with red color and he gave a small nod, "I was... But you always used to do this for me when I needed you," he whispered to her, "You would sit behind my back and wrap your arms around me... And you'd have me sleep against your chest. Every time you did this for me, I slept peacefully through the night without so much as a twist or turn."

Katarina glanced down at her knees curled up against her chest and this time, she found herself to be the one blushing, causing her to hide her face into her crossed arms stubbornly, "We were younger back then… It's different now."

"Not that much younger," he retorted, "What's so different about it now compared to when we did the same thing back then?"

The beautiful redhead could feel her heart skip a beat at the question, her pulse starting to race as she tried to think of an answer to tell him to brush the question off. But even the princess of comebacks herself couldn't think of a proper response in the position she was in.

Finally letting herself relax back against his chest, she shut her eyes and at feeling his warm body wrapped around his own, the steady drum of his heart beating behind her, and the deep, quiet hum he made when he exhaled a breath against her, Katarina almost instantly felt herself falling asleep against him.

Her green eyes opened into thin slits, she looked up at Talon as her eyelids grew heavy and she whispered, "Talon?"

Talon opened his own deep blue eyes and looked down at Katarina with a tired, curious expression, "Hm?" He responded gruffly.

"I…" she started to say before drifting off into a deep, restful sleep.

His eyes stayed fixed on her for the longest time before suddenly the lightest of smiles found its way across the lips of the infamously stiff-lipped Noxian.

"I, as well, milady," he whispered softly so as not to wake her, "I, as well."

…

* * *

 **{A/N}: And yet another scene in the lives of Katarina and Talon has concluded.**

 **What did you think? Want more, want less? Let me know, all reviews and feedback is much appreciated!**

 **I'll seeya around soon guys. Until next chapter!**

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **-Nb**


	4. Tis The Season in Noxus

**{A/N}: Hello again, readers, and a belated happy holidays to you all!**

 **Speaking of happy holidays, this particular drabble chapter is, you guessed it, a holiday themed chapter! What festive trouble might Katarina get Talon into this year? Only one way to find out!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-Nb**

* * *

 _IV: Tis The Season in Noxus_

The quiet echo of footsteps trailed down the empty, dully-colored halls of the Noxus castle as Talon made his evening routine round of the Du Couteau property.

The infamous assassin was thorough in his rounds of the castle and the grounds around it, thorough in a way that the castle's guards wouldn't even think to be.

Talon was a different kind of thorough in the others who protected the noble Du Couteau sisters. He was never thorough like a soldier or a guard might be, no, he was thorough like a true assassin was.

Every dark crevice, every unseen crack or unnoticed closet or wardrobe; no corner of the castle walls could escape Talon's hawk-like vision.

And during the holiday season, Talon's job was only that much more vital to the family he served.

With everyone distracted by the merriment and festivities of the holidays, it was a prime and perfect occasion for an assassin or stupidly brave Demacian to sneak their way inside the castle walls and take advantage of such festive distractions within the Noxian walls.

"Talon… Talon?"

Talon was jolted from his deep thinking to look up, finding the advisor to Lord Swain herself, Leblanc, standing in front of him with her arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.

"Uh," Talon stammered out embarrassedly in response, "Yes?"

Her devilish yellow eyes blinked up at him expectantly, "Were you thinking up more dramatic poetry about your bleak sense of duty again?"

His own eyes went wide in slight shock, "P-Pardon?"

Leblanc shook her head and sighed, "Your uh… ' _Lady_ ' requests an audience with you immediately. She was very urgent about it and I only complied so I could watch your reaction. For my own amusement, of course."

Talon's face paled at hearing Leblanc's words. Katarina was infamous for pranking the Noxian higher-ups when the holidays rolled around, most typically under the influence of alcohol. This just about always resulted in a very humiliating experience for the individual that was unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of her prank.

It took some actual contemplation before Talon finally let out an exasperated breath and nodded, "I would probably suffer worse consequences if I didn't go to her. Alright, I'll humor her with my presence."

With that, Talon turned on one heel and looked at Leblanc from over his shoulder.

"Where is she at in the castle currently?"

Leblanc smirked, "By the giant tree you all decorate together each season. You should already have an idea of what's happening, silly little Talon."

Talon's face only got whiter at hearing that.

He gave Leblanc a small nod in response and turned again to walk back down the way he came, down the hall and up the stairs to the room he now knew she would be in. And, of course, Leblanc followed close behind up with a devious grin across her pursed lips.

…

Talon stopped in the commons area with the large, decorative tree stood tall for the holiday season with a mountain of presents already stacked high underneath the towering pine tree.

The once-assassin blinked and gazed around at the mostly empty living area in a puzzled way, spotting only Cassiopeia with her snake-like body draped across one of the couches, sipping a glass of wine and reading a book, quietly minding her own business.

"Cass?"

She looked up with a thin, raised brow, "Brother?"

Talon's eyes sunk down to the glass of red liquid in her hand and this time he was the one to raise a brow, "Wine? You've never been one to indulge in alcohol."

Cassiopeia looked down away from him to her book again and once again sipped from her glass, "I need it to deal with Katarina's shenanigans this year."

He frowned, "Is she—?"

"Why don't you open your first designated present under the tree, little hawk?" Leblanc suddenly chimed in from behind him.

Talon looked at her from over his shoulder with a confused expression, "But we still have a good half a day left before the holiday begins."

Cass glanced up from her book with a knowing and rather unamused glare, "Just open the present, Talon. Don't be a bore."

His cheeks heated up furiously, "I am not a bore."

Leblanc shrugged and simpered mischievously, "Prove it then. Open your first present… It is from your Lady Katarina after all. Don't you think it would be rude not to open the present she invited you here to open?"

Talon became very quiet again and looked over to the mountain of wrapped boxes along with a particularly large present to the left of the pile. The largest one, Talon couldn't help but note, almost seemed to be shaking with life.

His cheeks went from red to ghostly pale as he muttered, "Which one is mine?"

Cass rolled her eyes, "Which one do you think? It's the one big enough to hold a person inside—"

Leblanc suddenly materialized into existence behind Cassiopeia's designated couch with one of her infamous self-mimicking spells and pressed a finger over her lips, "Hush now, milady, don't spoil Talon's little holiday surprise!" She practically sang in evil delight.

The half-snake woman sighed in slight annoyance and went quiet to go back to sipping her wine she poured for herself.

Talon didn't want to, but seeing he had no choice, he slowly walked over to the massive, wrapped box and stared down at it blankly. It was less shaking now, and more just quivering with excitement.

"Gods have mercy…" he mumbled as he untied the bow on the present and tilted the lid open just a crack to peek inside.

In a flash, Katarina lunged out from the box, shouting out loud, "Happy holidays!" As she tackled Talon to the floor and pinned him down on the rug with a laugh that was definitely not the laugh of someone sober.

Talon's face turned beet red regardless and he stared up at Katarina in shock as she pinned him down and smirked devilishly, "Were you surprised, Talon? Huh? You sure looked surprised."

She was shaking her rear end in a rather tempting fashion, drawing Talon's attention to the outfit she wore.

Bright red in color with white fur trim, her skin-tight dress was wrapped even tighter at the waist with a black, leather belt and on her head she had a green headband from which protruded two reindeer antlers.

Even worse, Katarina wore candy cane colored thigh highs, lined horizontally with red and white from her feet which pinned down his ankles all the way up to her mid thigh a mere couple inches from where her dress scandalously ended at.

Talon's face became almost as red as her dress and he looked up at her in slight horror, "M-Milady, you are very drunk! Where did you even get such an outfit for this occasion?!"

Katarina winked with her scarred, green eye, "It was an impulse buy. Don't you just love it?"

Leblanc smirked in a pleased way as she watched the two banter, something that Cass quickly took notice of a shot a glare up at her from the couch before tilting her chin to the side to make her look away.

"Don't be a voyeur, Leblanc."

Katarina glowered at the both of them and scowled, waving them off with one hand, "Get, get!" She barked out in a hushed tone.

Cass gave yet another eye roll and sat up from the couch to get up and slither around to take Leblanc's hand and lead her out of the room.

Leblanc groaned a little as just followed Cassiopeia against her will, "But the fun was just beginning!"

Talon watched them leave, much to his dismay before slowly looking back up at Katarina who was eyeing him like hungry lion who just found its prey.

"Milady, I—"

She hushed him this time, pressing her index finger against his lips and slowly dragging it down his chin.

"Tonight, I don't want to be your lady. I want to be your little ' _Kitty Kat_ '…" she whispered out in a drunken purr to taunt him.

Talon didn't know what was in store for him this holiday season. But he did know whatever Katarina was about to do to him would definitely put him at the top of Santa's naughty list this year.

…

* * *

 **{A/N}: Oh boy, Talon's in deep trouble this time. Do you think Katarina will remember her surprise to Talon when she's sober again? Was there a deeper meaning to her special present to him this year than she's letting on?**

 **You will find out soon on the next drabble of The Blade and Her Shadow.**

 **Thanks for reading, and happy holidays to you all!**

 **-Nb**


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